Chopstick holder

An increased interest in food brought about the production of various new and curious porcelain utensils as the dehua kilns, as seen in this piece. The interesting design is formed from two cylindrical containers connected by a classical phoenix with a ring in her mouth standing on an animal head on the center of one side, and with her tail on the other side. The seal mark is probably the name of the craftsman who designed the piece; the dehua potters liked to identify themselves in this way. Chopstick containers were a peculiar wares often made in southern regional kilns in Guangdong and Fujian.